Sarah Brown
Mushrooms are the fruit bodies of fungi, which are classified as Basidiomycetes. They are characterised by their fleshy, spore-bearing structures, typically produced above ground. Mushrooms are rich in proteins, fibres, vitamins and minerals. There are over 3000 types of mushrooms, including the commonly cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, and the wild Panther Cap mushroom, Amanita pantherina, which is highly poisonous. Mushrooms are cultivated in a process that takes one to three months, with the major stages being the preparation of compost, sowing, and covering with a thin layer of soil to support growth and maintain humidity and temperature.
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What You'll Learn
Mushrooms are a type of fungus
Mushrooms are achlorophyllous, filamentous, and fleshy organisms. They get their food from decomposing, dead, and decaying organic matter. They are also called saprophytic fungi, which is a type of heterotrophic mode of nutrition. Mushrooms may either be edible or non-edible (toxic or poisonous). Toadstool generally refers to a poisonous mushroom.
Mushrooms are produced from a nodule or pinhead, less than two millimetres in diameter, called a primordium, which is typically found on or near the surface of the substrate. It is formed within the mycelium, the mass of thread-like hyphae that make up the fungus. The mycelium grows on organic matter to absorb nutrients. The primordium enlarges into a roundish structure of interwoven hyphae roughly resembling an egg, called a "button".
The gills of a mushroom produce microscopic spores, called basidiospores, which help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface. The colour of the powdery print, called a spore print, is useful in both classifying and identifying mushrooms. Spore print colours include white (most common), brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and creamy, but almost never blue, green, or red.
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They have a distinctive structure
Mushrooms are the fruit bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. They are characterised by their distinctive structure, which consists of a cap (or pileus), a stalk (or stipe), and gills (or lamellae) underneath the cap.
The cap, or pileus, is the fleshy upper part of the mushroom, often white or bright and colourful with scales on its upper surface. It is umbrella or parasol-shaped and protects the gills located on its underside. The gills, or lamellae, are thin slits that grow on the lower surface of the cap and produce spores. They consist of two types of cells: club-shaped fertile cells that produce basidiospores, and shorter, slender sterile cells that do not. The innermost portion of the gills is spongy and is called the trama. It is formed by a mass of elongated hyphae.
The stalk, or stipe, acts as a stem, supporting the umbrella-shaped cap. At the base of the stalk is a cup-like structure called the volva, which is a remnant of the veil, or velum, that covers a young mushroom before rupturing as it matures.
In addition to these main structures, mushrooms also have a membranous ring-like structure called the annulus, located just beneath the cap, and a veil called the velum that covers the young mushroom and ruptures as it matures, leaving remnants as the volva and annulus.
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Mushrooms have nutritional benefits
Mushrooms are nutrient-dense and low in calories. They are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which have been shown to have a positive impact on health. They are the only produce that is a source of vitamin D, which is important for bone health and immune function. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so cooking mushrooms with a source of fat, such as olive oil, can increase the absorption of this nutrient. Mushrooms are also a good source of selenium, which helps to prevent cell damage, and vitamin B6, which helps to form red blood cells.
Research has found that eating 1-2 cups of mushrooms each week may reduce the risk of cancer by up to 45%. In Japan, reishi mushrooms are even used in cancer treatment. Mushrooms are also thought to have a positive impact on brain health, with studies showing that eating 2 cups of mushrooms each week can cut the risk of developing cognitive impairment in half.
Mushrooms are also a good source of potassium, which is known to reduce the negative impact of sodium on the body and can help to lower blood pressure. They are low in sodium themselves, so using them in recipes that call for saltier ingredients can help to reduce sodium intake. They are also a good substitute for red meat, as they are low in fat and cholesterol.
Mushrooms are versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways. They can be cooked with a little oil or butter to increase the absorption of nutrients, or they can be exposed to sunlight for 15 minutes to increase their vitamin D content.
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They can be poisonous
Mushrooms are typically classified as either edible or poisonous. While the term "mushroom" is often used to refer to edible fungi, the term "toadstool" is generally reserved for poisonous mushrooms. However, it is important to note that there is no scientific distinction between the two terms, and both can be used to describe any fleshy fungus fruiting structure.
Poisoning by wild mushrooms is common and can have serious, even fatal, consequences. Some mushrooms, like the death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), are highly poisonous and should be avoided. It is crucial that any mushroom intended for consumption be accurately identified to prevent accidental poisoning.
While some mushrooms are prized for their edibility and delicate flavour, others are valued for their medicinal properties. Medicinal extracts of certain mushroom species, such as Agaricus, are believed to offer a range of health benefits. These extracts are said to be useful in preventing heart disease and boosting immunity, and even in the treatment of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
The Agaricus genus, which includes the commonly known button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), is particularly diverse, with around 300 member species found worldwide. These mushrooms are typically edible and have a range of culinary and medicinal uses. However, it is always important to properly identify any wild mushroom before consumption to avoid the risk of poisoning.
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Mushrooms can be cultivated
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting bodies of fungi, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. The term "mushroom" is used to describe the fleshy fruiting bodies of some Ascomycota. The gills under the cap of the mushroom produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface.
In the growing house, the pasteurized substrate is placed in stacked, wooden trays or beds, and the spawn is mixed in and a top layer (usually of peat moss) is applied. From this point, it takes about three weeks to produce the first mushrooms for harvest. Throughout the growing period, temperature and humidity are carefully controlled. Mushrooms mature at varying times, so picking by hand is continuous for two to three weeks. Every mushroom is harvested by hand. Mushrooms are harvested in a 7- to 10-day cycle, but this may be longer or shorter depending on the temperature, humidity, cultivar, and the stage when they are picked.
Shiitake mushrooms can also be cultivated. In the Northeastern United States, shiitake mushrooms can be cultivated on a variety of hardwood logs including oak, American beech, sugar maple and hophornbeam. Softwood should not be used to cultivate shiitake mushrooms because the resin of softwoods will often inhibit the growth of the shiitake mushroom. To produce shiitake mushrooms, 1-metre hardwood logs with a diameter ranging from 10-15 cm are inoculated with the mycelium of the shiitake fungus. Inoculation is completed by drilling holes in the hardwood logs, filling the holes with cultured shiitake mycelium or inoculum, and then sealing the filled holes with hot wax. After inoculation, the logs are placed under the closed canopy of a coniferous stand and are left to incubate for 12 to 15 months. Once incubation is complete, the logs are soaked in water for 24 hours. Seven to ten days after soaking, shiitake mushrooms will begin to fruit and can be harvested once fully ripe.
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Frequently asked questions
A mushroom is a fungus that belongs to the class Basidiomycetes. It is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source.
Mushrooms get their food from decomposing, dead and decaying organic matter. They produce microscopic spores, called basidiospores, on their gills. These spores help the fungus spread across the ground or its occupant surface. The life cycle starts with the production of these reproductive spores, which are released when the mushroom matures.
Mushrooms are mostly edible and are a good source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. They can also be used medicinally, to prevent heart disease, boost immunity, and treat diseases like cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
The major stages involved in the cultivation of mushrooms are: preparing compost by mixing paddy straw with organic materials and inorganic fertilizers; sowing the seeds of the mushroom (spawn) into the compost; covering the compost with a thin layer of soil; and harvesting the mushrooms after one to three months, when they reach a height of 3cm.
